OPTICALLY PUMPED STIMULATED-EMISSION IN ZNS ZNCDS MULTIPLE QUANTUM-WELLS, MBE-GROWN ON GAP/

Optically pumped stimulated emission is observed in a series of ZnS/Zn 1-xCdxS multiple quantum-well (MQW) structures, grown on GaP substrate s by MBE. We report lasing from a ZnS/Zn0.97Cd0.03S MQW at wavelengths as low as 333nm, the shortest yet reported in a semiconductor heteros tructure. The lasing threshold decreases for deeper wells and reaches 6.5 kW.cm(-2) at 8K and 80 kW.cm(-2) at 300K for the MWQs with a Cd-co mposition of 0.2. The results are compared to known values for similar structures grown on GaAs by MOCVD, which reveals the potential of the GaP-substrate MBE technology for the widest bandgap II-VI heterostruc tures incorporating ZnS-based ternary alloys. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsev ier Science Ltd